Ghana’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, has lashed out at the British high commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, for interfering unnecessarily in “the internal affairs” of her host country.
Thompson had expressed concern on social media over the arrest of the #FixTheCountry Movement lead convenor, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, for a traffic offence.
“Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes…” the diplomat tweeted a week ago.
Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes… https://t.co/iK5hZDZUln
— Harriet Thompson (@HCThompson001) May 17, 2022
In a four-page response to the British senior diplomat in Ghana, Dampare said her tweet violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, “which enjoins diplomatic missions not to interfere in the international affairs of their host country”.
“Is there any particular reason why, of all the people arrested daily for various offences in Ghana, you are especially interested in this person’s case?” the IGP asked.
Question of trust?
“Is it the case that you don’t have confidence in our justice delivery, criminal justice system and our court processes as a whole?
“Do you know the number of Members of Parliament, chief executives and other high-profile Ghanaians who have been arrested and prosecuted for road traffic offences and have submitted themselves to due process? If you care to know, we will be delighted to share the list with you,” the IGP said in his strongly worded response to Thompson.
He concluded: “For the moment, we would recommend a Ghanaian saying that might guide you in your diplomatic engagements. The saying goes: ‘di wo fie asem’ – it means learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you.”
Below is the IGP’s full response:
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